The present invention relates generally to laser systems employing phase conjugation processes (phase conjugate lasers), and more particularly to phase conjugate lasers whose output beam is electronically steerable.
Conventional laser systems which provide for a steerable laser beam have generally used conventional optical steering methods such as those employing movable mirrors with servo drives. Such systems are generally limited in scan frequency to about a few thousand hertz. In addition to relatively slow steering speed, the size of the field of view has generally been limited and the efficiency of the laster transmitter has been impaired. Also, time delays required to scan from one part of the field-of-view to another may be longer than milliseconds.
Other beam pointing techniques have involved the use of multiple lasers. However, this approach sacrifices scanning power. Also, a multi-channel conventional laser, such as a scanlaser, does not extract power efficiently from the laser gain medium. Scanlaser systems are described in publication entitled "Fast Electron Beam Scanlaser" by R. A. Myers, IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics, Vol. QE-4, No. 6, June 1968, and "Electron Beam Scanlaser" by R. V. Pole et al, IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics, Vol. 2, July 1966.
Therefore, it would be an improvement to the laser art to have a laser system whose output beam is electronically steerable in a random, but controlled, manner at relatively high speeds within a wide field-of-view, while preserving a high-quality, full-power beam.